Earls Court is once again hosting the annual Great British Beer Festival! Spanning the 3rd through 7th of August, the event features 500+ varieties of beer from around the world, along with live music, pub food, games, and tasting tutorials. Tickets are £6 if purchased in advance and £8 at the door.
So get those beer goggles out to better stomach (pun intended…wait for it…) the sight of grown men wearing half-tops to display the fruits of their ale-drinking labors. Me, I can’t wait for my pork scratchings.
While we want you to have fun, London Relocation Ltd. also encourages you to drink responsibly for the health and safety of yourself and others. Cheers!
Before I continue yammering on about Americans relocating to London, allow me to bid our fine Canadian expats a happy Canada Day! Festivities in London are underway: http://www.canadadaylondon.com/
And now, to conclude my brief series on where Americans like to live in London:
(This excerpt is adapted from my 17 May guest post on Anglotopia.net, a brilliant, comprehensive resource on all things UK that I highly recommend to all Anglophiles!)
St. John’s Wood
Perhaps the most blatant draw to St. John’s Wood for Americans is the American School in London (ASL). The only American school located within the city of London itself, ASL’s American curriculum automatically attracts families relocating from the United States to provide children with continuity in their education.
Regardless if one’s child is not enrolled in ASL or one does not have children at all, the neighborhood has a ready network of Americans (the St. John’s Wood Women’s Club being one resource) and meets a high standard of living. It is certainly one of the more expensive areas to live (Paul McCartney lives there), with a gorgeous brass-fixtured Tube station and darling cafes and shops to wander around in a safe, quiet, and family-friendly environment.
Perhaps one of the more fun features of SJW is Lord’s cricket ground, the “Home of Cricket.” American sports enthusiasts can attend a match there and figure out first-hand whether cricket moves more slowly than baseball
(And since this post first published on Anglotopia.net, a helpful commenter added that Panzers Deli is a big draw to the neighborhood for its American foods!)
Islington
Now, this is not one of the more obvious choices for Americans, but I would be remiss not to mention Islington as a neighborhood of growing attraction. It has an edgy, artsy feel mixed with increasing gentrification (think Chicago’s Bucktown/Wicker Park or New York’s Greenwich/West Villages), so its great social scene (commencing immediately along Upper Street just outside of Angel Tube station) ranges from super-casual pub to super-swank club.
In addition to the nightlife, this North London neighborhood’s closer proximity to the city center renders it desirable by expats wanting a shorter commute to work.
Moving to London
Regardless of where you decide to live in London, opportunities to network with other Americans abound. The expat community is spirited and open-minded, so you’ll be deeply enriched by the global experiences of others who have relocated like yourself.
While this empathy is great (and vital for some), a major part of the expat experience is also to cast off a bit of what you knew at home to take on the new challenges and joys of a different cultural environment. In this case, don’t worry that living in a popular American neighborhood will mean sheltering yourself from the international community—such couldn’t possibly happen in a city as diverse as London!
(This excerpt previously appeared in my 17 May guest post on Anglotopia.net, a brilliant, comprehensive resource on all things UK that I highly recommend to all Anglophiles!)
Continuing from my previous post on where Americans tend to gravitate in London, today I bring you:
South Kensington
Central to London is the neighborhood of South Kensington, an affluent postcode that is home to a substantial American population. The area bears a similar aesthetic to trendy U.S. neighbourhoods like Lincoln Park in Chicago or New York’s SoHo or Upper West Side and, like Notting Hill, is a cornucopia of shopping and dining.
Gloucester Road is among many venue-lined roads and is home to one particular grocery store that has become a guilty pleasure (if not a staple) for many-an American expat: Partridges. For as many American brands (or decent-enough equivalents) that can be found in UK stores, there are many good ol’ standbys that are rare in these here parts, so it’s key to have an oasis of American goods to satisfy that occasional craving for pancakes and Kraft Macaroni & Cheese! And for more upscale shopping, South Kensington is only a few minutes’ walk from its opulent and pricier neighbor, Knightsbridge, which houses the likes of Harrods.
With the Victoria & Albert and Natural History museums, as well as concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington also provides a convenient dosage of British history and culture to immerse expats in their new country.
(This excerpt previously appeared in my 17 May guest post on Anglotopia.net, a brilliant, comprehensive resource on all things UK that I highly recommend to all Anglophiles!)
As an American-owned and operated agency, we field a lot of enquiries from North Americans looking to make the big transatlantic move to the United Kingdom. A big part of the job is managing expectations, as, for as much as expatriates are seeking change in a new culture, it’s only that natural that they also seek a degree of familiarity with what they already know. We can’t perform architectural miracles that increase the square-footage and closet space of these predominantly Victorian-era buildings to meet modern American proportions; nonetheless, we can advise on which neighborhoods have a solid American demographic by virtue of other appealing factors. Generally, American expats dig London’s West side, so we’ll start this series with the neighborhood where our friendly lil’ office is located:
Notting Hill
No joking, this neighborhood continues to be a draw for Americans because of the Hugh Grant film of same name. There is a comfort to coming to Notting Hill from abroad thanks to a ready familiarity with the charms of Portobello Road as it’s portrayed in the movie. Bedecked in antique shops, fashion boutiques, pubs, cafes, and street stalls overflowing with produce, this colorful strip contains all the quaint appeal that Americans expect from London.
The amenities don’t stop at Portobello, however; indeed, the entire area is dotted with day and night-life amidst quiet residential streets that provide a nice escape from the city-center bustle and is close to green space like Kensington Gardens. The neighborhood’s Westbourne Grove has been nicknamed “Rodeo Drive” by residents for its posh clothing shops, and, overall, residences are well-maintained to an American standard.
Stemming off of a previous circuit I recommended (the “Kensington Gardens Gallivant“), we’ll be heading West of South Kensington today for a nice neighborhoody stroll that won’t bog us down with too many big attractions. Instead, we’ll pass by and through points of interests and just soak up the atmosphere of a nice London neighborhood on a hopefully nice day outside.
If you’re in the vicinity of South Kensington station, start heading west on Brompton Road and stay on it as it becomes Old Brompton Road. You’ll pass by a string of shops and restaurants that you can pop into to your heart’s content. One cute one along the way is Bumpkin, which would make for a nice brunch stop. My husband also likes to ogle the Ferrari dealership further down on the left-hand side. If you’re more keen on a pub breakfast or lunch, two great options just across the street from each other are the Duke of Clarence (for higher grade gastropub fare) or the Drayton Arms (your more laidback variety with classic pub grub and a great English breakfast). Otherwise, around this same intersection you’ll see a variety of ethnic cuisines like Indian and Vietnamese.
Keeping on Old Brompton, on your left you’ll eventually see a long brick wall with a blue plaque signifying it as the site of the former home of Beatrix Potter, author of the treasured Peter Rabbit books. A primary school now stands on the site, but you can take a stroll around this neighborhood, called The Boltons, to get a taste for the affluent residences that have stood there since Beatrix’s time.
As you approach the intersection with Earls Court Road, to your left is the building where Lady Diana lived when she was courting Prince Charles, Colherne Court. Turning right onto Earls Court Road here will take you along a corridor highly populated with cafes and pubs, as well as Earls Court tube station if you’re needing to catch the District or Piccadilly lines.
Otherwise, if you’re a film buff, if you stay on Old Brompton, walk past Earls Court Road and turn left at the next street, 64 Colherne Road is the site of the famous metamorphosis scene in the cult-classic An American Werewolf in London—it’s Nurse Alex’s flat! The scene of a more recent film, Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, is just a block further West on Old Brompton Road at the Brompton Cemetery. This graveyard is one of the Magnificent Seven located all over London that came into being during the Victorian era to solve the issue of overcrowding in individual churchyards. Almost 40 acres in size, it makes for an atmospheric and peaceful walk and/or sit, and is free, as opposed to its Highgate sister from yesterday’s London Bundle.
Across the street from the cemetery, you can’t help but notice the enormous Earls Court convention center that houses major fairs like the London Book Fair and Great British Beer Festival, as well as the prestigious music award show, the BRIT Awards. And, actually, if you’re willing to back-track a bit, on Old Brompton Road just between Colherne Road and the cemetery is a great coffee shop/restaurant named The Troubadour. Established in the 1950s, its music venue downstairs has hosted performances by legends like Bob Dylan (it was the first place he ever performed in London, in fact), Jimi Hendrix, Paul Simon, and Joni Mitchell.
With all this celebrity exposure, you could continue the trend by staying on Old Brompton (which turns into Lillie Road eventually) and hang a left on Fulham Road to catch a flick at the Fulham Broadway Cinema. This positions you perfectly if you’re looking for dinner—there is plenty to choose from within the mall at the cinema or outside in the general Fulham Broadway area (a favorite of mine is Hell Pizza)—or ready to head back to the comforts of the fabulous London flat where London Relocation Ltd. has placed you after your move to London …this being because the cinema is located directly above the Fulham Broadway tube station. Ta da!
Now you can feel like you’re in the stands at the World Cup in South Africa from the comforts of your home or office Internet-browsing Evidently, there’s an iPhone app as well that will turn your mobile into a vuvuzela horn. But, of course, isn’t there an iPhone app for everything…
At any rate, if you’re able to skip out of work early on this fine, albeit chillier Friday afternoon, the U.S.A. vs. Slovenia match will be kicking off at 3:00pm GMT. Germany vs. Serbia will be underway in an hour, and England will face-off against Algeria this evening at 7:30pm GMT.
I, for one, am lucky enough to be able to skip out of work in time for the U.S. match. My American friend has rented space at the Duke of Wellington pub on Notting Hill’s Portobello Road, and I’m hoping for a more mild atmosphere than last Saturday’s U.S. vs. England match…oi, was that obnoxiousness incarnate. First of all, not to overly diss a certain establishment on the Kings Road in Chelsea, but despite its phenomenal beer garden space out back that I do indeed enjoy, its interior is very American bar-and-grill. I do not mean to likewise diss American bar-and-grills in that same sentence—I’m a Yankee and proud of it!—but it’s not exactly furthering one’s international experience by frequenting it. And when you combine that atmosphere with a match of those competitive proportions, it raises it to American Frat Boy level, a Code Red that sends this former sorority girl running for the hills. But it wasn’t just Americans…this was truly an event that united world citizens in pissy attitudes that was just not a climate I enjoyed. But that’s just me. I’m not a hardcore sports fan, and football is no exception, so perhaps I should reserve judgment; I just don’t particularly like when taking jabs that should be all in good fun loses perspective and turns into actual ethnocentric antagonism. I don’t perceive the athletic ability of several men running on the field to actually represent an entire country anyway.
So there’s my editorializing because it’s Friday and I’m tired, and when I’m tired, I’m ornary and sometimes knock what I don’t truly understand Hopefully this afternoon after a cool pint I’ll be able to embrace the more positive spirit of global community that does surround this game on its colossal scale and finally comprehend what all the buzz (and horn-blowing) is all about.
We’re going to move it on up a little North of our Shopping Spree bundle today to some charming residential neighborhoods of London.
Hop the Tube to Regent’s Park Underground station (Bakerloo line). From here, we’re going to walk into, surprise, surprise…Regent’s Park! Explore this vast park to your heart’s content—if you haven’t had breakfast yet, you can grab a bite at either the Boathouse or Garden Cafes, and do stroll through Queen Mary’s Rose Garden, the largest of its kind in London. You will notice the Open Air Theatre as well, which runs performances from May through September, and in the Northern part of the park, you’ll find the zoo!
If you’ve had enough fresh air and are itching for a museum of sorts, just off the lower West corner of the park (near the Baker Street Tube) are the famous Madame Tussaud’s wax museum as well as the Sherlock Holmes museum.
From here, you can walk into Marlybone and acquaint yourself with this neighborhood and either go on foot or catch the Tube at Baker Street or Marlybone Underground stations to St. John’s Wood. This upscale residential neighborhood is home to Paul McCartney and Abbey Road Studios (yes, you can even walk on the famous zebra stripe across Abbey Road as the Beatles did for the album cover of same name). Sports enthusiasts will also find the Lord’s cricket pitch here where the Marlybone Cricket Club plays its matches.
If you follow St. John’s Road toward the West and hang a left onto Maida Vale, you will then gain exposure to yet another delightful and peaceful area—Maida Vale. Here you’ll find the road made famous by Duffy’s song, “Warwick Avenue,” but of most aesthetic interest is Little Venice, so named because of its canals and boats. This is such a fun spot for cafes and pubs, so this might be a good time to stop for lunch or even early dinner, depending on how your day’s been going.
Otherwise, if you hold out for dinner and are open to spicy international food, I absolutely recommend heading down the Maida Vale street, which will eventually become Edgware Road. Here you will find a row of restaurants representing a range of Middle Eastern cuisine for very reasonable prices and can even treat yourself to a shisha and mint tea (hookah) after dinner out on the sidewalk.
The rest of the evening is up to you…if you’re a Paddington Bear fan, one little sidetrack you could make is to see Paddington Station where this little bear from Darkest Peru was discovered. Otherwise, maybe go get some rest after this long, fun day!
Today is the first of my London Bundles that ventures out into the neighborhoods outside the City, yet still considered fairly “central London” (i.e., Zone 1).
Let’s start our journey at South Kensington Tube station (which services the District, Circle, and Piccadilly lines). As soon as you ascend the Underground station’s steps into the light, you’ll find yourself at quite the center of action. Surrounding the station are endless choices of restaurants and shops, so you can dip into a cafe here if you didn’t grab breakfast at your hotel or flat (you know, the perfect abode where London Relocation Ltd. just successfully placed you). Might I recommend the darling Cafe Creperie just Northwest of the station and along the way to where your area tour will continue (make sure you bring cash, though, for those crepes…last time I was there, they didn’t accept credit or debit).
Continuing North on Exhibition Road, you will soon enough see the Victoria & Albert Museum to your right and the Natural History Museum to your left—take your pick (I am, however, partial to the V&A for its artifacts, artwork, and antique furnishings and textiles on exhibit, as well as the special Grace Kelly exhibition currently on display!) Best part of either museum is that they’re FREE.
All right then, mosey onward further North on Exhibition Road, past Imperial College, and hang a left at Kensington Road. You will see that Kensington Gardens is just across the street. You can enter the park if you stay on Exhibition Road, but by walking along Kensington Road, you can go past the famous Royal Albert Hall (the acoustically brilliant concert that hosts the annual Proms) and see the exotic Albert Memorial (that Queen Victoria commissioned in honor of her dearly departed husband in 1875) just across the way inside the park. Once you reach the Southwest corner of the park, enter onto a walkway that will lead you directly to Kensington Palace, where Queen Victoria was born and pronounced Queen and where Lady Diana lived the rest of her years (if you recall the footage of the masses of bouquets mourners piled up outside palace gates, this is the place where those vigils took place). The palace recently kicked off its Enchanted Palace exhibit to offer a bit of avant-garde eye candy while the building undergoes extensive renovation. Venturing inside does come at a price, but just touring the grounds for free is worthwhile—the blooms decking out the Sunken Garden and swans preening on the Round Pond being visual delights.
Enjoy a pleasant stroll on the main walkway (The Broad Walk) between the pond and palace as you continue North and exit outside the Northwest corner of the park. The main road you encounter here is just where Bayswater Road becomes Notting Hill Gate, so hang a left and continue into the well-known neighborhood. Just past the Tube station, you can jog over onto Pembridge Road for a couple blocks until you see the entrance to Portobello Road. Wandering the length of this road will take you past the antique, clothing, and produce stalls that give this area its character (and, yes, you’ll see sites from the movie, including the storefront of the travel bookshop in the film as well as the original shop on which it was based):
Notting Hill is an ideal neighborhood in which to close out your day, with no end to the pubs, cafes, and restaurants to grab your late lunch or dinner, or cinemas to enjoy some seated, passive time to yourself (try the Electric on Portobello for an ultra-cozy recliner as a seat or the Coronet on Notting Hill Gate for its history). From here, you can catch the Tube at the Notting Hill Gate station (District, Circle, and Central lines), or, first, pop down onto Kensington Church Street for more dinner options, including the Churchill Arms pub if you’re thirsty. Cheers!
Woohoo! The sun is out with not one cloud in the sky, and I’m feeling like I’ve hyperspaced into Spain. Seriously. This can’t be England. There is a whole new wardrobe strutting out there on the catwalks, I mean sidewalks, that I’ve never seen in this city before—who knew that people here have shoulders and legs and toes?! Tank-tops, shorts, flip-flops—all these clothing items that I know from home—have surfaced as folks must have raided their holiday-wear storage to dress appropriately for this heat wave.
The parks over the weekend were flooded with pale skin sizzling pink in the sunlight as we all gulp up the Vitamin D we’ve been so deprived of after a particularly crappy winter. I live in Southwest London, so my own park-hopping included Brompton Cemetery (yes, though I just walked through eating my lunch, plenty of sunbathers found a patch of bare grass that did not accompany a headstone to stretch out and veg upon), Putney, and Parsons Green. The pubs opened their windows and doors to the breezes, so if you couldn’t snag an outdoor seat, you could still delight in the sunny cross-ventilation.
All good things must come to an end, alas, so evidently tomorrow we’ll be dipping down into the upper 60s tomorrow. Enjoy it while it lasts, people!
There’s something that happens on a second consecutive morning of sunshine…Just last week I was ranting about the rude manners of Londoners on the sidewalks, but this morning’s commute dazzled me with 3 random acts of kindness. What the heck is going on here? People helping people? In London?!
But it’s true! As our mole eyes adjust to the brighter rays shining through our windows at dawn, they are apparently sharpening into clearer focus of others’ presence and consequently cultivating an enhanced awareness of other people and, by golly, their needs beyond the immediate ones our own.
* Drumroll, please *
The 3 Random Acts of Kindness that I saw this morning were:
A little girl dropped her jacket. On spying this, a young gentleman snatched it up and ran after her to return it, to which she and her friend kindly responded, “Thank you!”
A middle-aged woman boarded my standing-room-only Tube car. Just as she was getting situated beside me in standing position and about to grab the overhead bar for stability, a gentleman seated in a Priority Seating space beside the door jumped up and offered her the seat. To which she kindly responded, “Thank you!”
On exiting the Tube station, I rounded a corner in my brisk commuting-on-foot way, and a lady actually stepped out of my way! Though we both kept on our opposite courses, in my mind I was thinking, “Thank you!”
While these might sound unremarkable to you, again, I needs must direct you to my prior post on the usual ill street manners one encounters here. And I hope that every Londoner got to observe at least 3 random acts of kindness today to see the smiling “Thank you!”s that result from them; if each of us just went out of our way once each day for a stranger, think how those smiles and gratitude would multiply exponentially.
Hopefully this afternoon after a cool pint I’ll be able to embrace the more positive spirit of global community that does surround this game on its colossal scale and finally comprehend what all the buzz (and horn-blowing) is all about.
